mitchell



3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. H. MITCHELL.

MACHINE EGE THE MANUEAGTUEE 0E MATCHES.

N, PETERS. Pmm-bnmgnpher, wnmingmn. 0.a

J. H. MTGHELL.

MACHINE FOR THE MANUPAG-TURE OEMATGHES. No. 304,018. Patented Aug. 26,1884.

I (No Model.) 3 sheets-sheet 2A lV/TNESSS: /N VIM/TUA.

(No Mode.)

3 Sheets- Sheet J. H.-MITCHELL.

MACHINE FOR THEMANUFAGTURE OF MATCHES'.

/V VEA/TOR.

N. PETERS. Phumuuwguvhef. vlamingen. D. c.

Unirse Srarns Parent @ritten J. HENRY MITCHELL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MACHINE FOR THE VANUFACTURE OF MATCHES.

QPECFICATEOB? forming part of Letters Patent No. 30e,0l8, dated August 26` 1884.

Application filed January F, 1884. (Xo model.)

fb LZ/L whom, may concern.;-

Be it known that l, J. HENRY MITCHELL, ot'Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines vfor the Manufacture of Matches, of which the following is a speciication.

The object ot' my invention is to provide a machine for the continuous carrying emot' said io manufacture; all the steps thereof, from the picking up of the splints to the final deposit ofthe matches in the dryingtrays, being effected in a single passage through the machine.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a vertical longitudinal section through the center ot' the machine. Fig. 2 is a top or plan View thereof. Fig. 3 is a side elevation, on an enlarged scale, ofthe hop.

2O per which contains the splints, and the adjacent mechanism. Fig. et is a cross-section through the steam-channels, by means of which the ends of the splints are heated he- :fore the application of the Vsulphur thereto.

5 Figs. 5 and (i are respectively sido and end elevations ot' the snlphuring devices. Fig. 7 is acentral longitudinal section, and Fig. Sa

central transverse section, th rough the devices for applying the phosphorus heading. 3 Fie. Sl a top or plan view, and Fig. 10a side elevation, ot' said devices; and Fig. ll is atop or plan view ot' the cutting devices, by means of which the splints are divided at the conclusion of their passage through the machine.

The scale ot' all these iigures Yfrom 5 to ll, both inclusive, though less than that of Figs. 3 and st, is somewhat enlarged from the scale of l and 2.

For convenience of description, it may he 4o well to consider the machine as divided into a series ot'subsidiary devices, and to describe the mechanical construction and operation of cach of these devices separately. Briell)- speak ing, they may he classified hy the successive stages et' treatment, as i'ollows: lirst, the picking-up meel'xanism, by whichv the splints are delivered from the hopperinto which they are in the iirstinstance fed; second, the transferring devices, which convey the splints to 5o the helt hy which they are carried through the machine, third, the apparatus for snlphuring the ends of the splints; fourth, the apparatus for applying the heads thereto; fifth, the devices for shaping and finishing the heads; and, sixth, the cutting and discharging mechanism.

In the drawings, A3 represent-s the main frame of the machine, and A3 the frame of the picking up mechanism mounted upon the frame AL at one end.

A represents the main drivingshaft, from which all the motions of the machine are taken. This shaft A rotates in hearings a3, fastened to the frame A2, and power is supplied to it by the driving-pulley c2, the direction ofwhose motion is indicated hy the arrow. Upon this driving-shaft A is keyed a worm, b', which connects with a worn1- wheel, b2, fastened or keyed to a shaft, b, rotating in hearings upon the frame A. At the center of this sha-lt 2) is fastened a large hanged pulley, C, whose ianges are cut into parallel. notches a, as shown, slightlg;7 wider than the thickness ot' a match-splint.

On the extreme end 'ot' the shaft b is keyed a gear-wheel, C", (sce Fig. 3,) which supplies power to the picking-up devices. These, as before stated, are supported upon a secondaryY frame, A, and consist of a hopper, B', whose interior diameter is as nearly as possible equal tothe length otl a spl int, which as is well known, is donhlethe length of lthe finished match. The discharge-Opern ng of this hopper is situated at one side, as shown, and an adjustable gate, If, is provided to regulate the size of the opening. lThe bottom ot' the hopper is also open to permit the entrance of the peripheryof a. iluted wheel, D', upon which the splints c within the hopper rest. rI'his iinted wheel D is rotated in the direction ot' the arrow by means of the pulley d', driven by a belt, di.

Adjacent tothe tinted wheel D ,are two pick ing-up wheels, A, arranged upon a shaft, c2, so as to rotate together, and at such a distance apart as to overlap the sides of the tinted wheel D'. As the iinted wheel D rotates, it draws out the splints from the hopper through the side gate, and as it travels toward the picking-np wheels A it holds the splints squarely but leoselbxr between the flutes, and thus presents them intothe pickingup wheels. These wheels A are provided with wedge-shaped pc` ripheral notches, whose openings are large enough to freely rece-ive t-he splints, but converge at bottom to a diameter less than that of the splints, and the notches upon one wheel are parallel to those upon the other.

Immediately above and. in like contact with the periphery of the picking-up wheels A is a rotating brush, C, actuated by means of the belt e and pulley e? fromlhe main drivingshaft A. The function of this brush is to throw back the surplus splints, only permitting those to pass which are in the openings of the picking-up wheels A.

Adjacent to the brush (3",and likewise above the picking-up wheels A, is a tread-roller, d, mounted in sliding bearings upon the frame A", which arevprovided with adj ustahle springpressure attachments f, so that the degree of pressure of the tread-roller may be regulated. The function of this tread-roller (l is to firmly pack the splints into the wedge-shaped openings ofthe pickingup wheel A. A pair of light curved springs, g, attached to the frame A3, press lightly' against the under surfaces of `the splints during a certain portion of their travel in the picking-up wheels A, and those serve to discard or throw out any splints which, by reason of imperfect shape or smallsize, do not become fastened firmly in the openings of the picking-up wheels A by the pressure ofthe tread-roller (l. These discarded splints fall into a waste-hopper, fi, arranged in prox imity to the, periphery of the picking up wheels A.

Adjacent to the picking-up wheels A are the transfer-wheels h, keyed to a common shaft and rotating as one. These wheels E are provided with parallel teeth, somewhat like ratchet-teeth, as shown, and their purpose is to transfer the splints from the picking-up wheels A to the large flanged pulley C, before re-y ferred to, and which willbetermed the locating-wheel.77 The gearing by which these sev eral wheels are rotated must of course bear a definite relation to the number of match-receptacles upon each ofthe wheels, and alsoto certain other features which will now be described. Thus, it'thelocating-wheel Chas (asis the preferred construction) thirty-six receptacles in the flanges and the transfer-\vheels E six teeth,it is obvious that the lat-ter must make six revolutions for every one .revolution of the lo eating-wheel; and it' the picking-up wheels A have twenty-four matelrreceptacles they must make one rotation for every four ot' the transfer-wheels E. llurthcrinore, all these wheels must travel in the same direction, and the gears are therefore arranged as follows. (See Fig. 3.) Upon the end ofthe shaft ci of the lo eating-wheel Cisa large gear, G', having fortyeight teeth. This meshes with the pinion g2, having eight teeth, which 'in turn meshes with the driving-pinion a of thetransfer-wheels E, having also eight teeth. This driving-pinion n meshes with a second pinion, a, having eight teeth, which in turn drives the large gear n', having t-hirtytwo teeth, and secured to the shaft of the picking-up wheel A.y The pulley d upon the-shaft of the iluted wheel D is also somewhat smaller than the Ipulleyf@ by which its belt di is driven, Aso 'that the travel of the fluted wheel is faster than that of the picking` up wheels. This relation of lspeed tends to crowd the matclrsplints forward on the pick'- ing-up wheels A and pack them properly, in the notches thereof; and Iso arrange the tension of the belt d2 that if the splints become crowded too much between the peripheries of the utedwheel D and picking-up wheels A the pulley d will slip until the crowding is relieved by the travel of the picking-up wheels. The teeth of the transfer-wheels E are so arranged in relation to theteeth of the pickingup wheels A and. locating-wheel C as that the splints are struck squarely out of the one and into the other, thus avoiding anydanger of breakage.

Upon theperiphery of thelccating-wheel C, and between the flanges thereof, travels an end-1 lessbelt, E,so1newhat narrower than the length ofthe splints. The passage of this belt through the remaining port-ions of the machineca-n f readily be traced. It :is provided with atight` ening-roller, D", the straiaupon which is effected by the weight D5, connected with the journals of the roller D:l by means-of the rope dt, passing over pulley D". As the splints are received in the openings of the locatingwheel C, this belt E is of coursebeneath them. By the travel of the locating-wheels the splints are carried forward a short distance, and

their `upper surfaces come in contact with a second 'endless belt, El, whose travel with the remaining portions of the machine can also be readily traced, and which is provided with asimilar tightening-roller, L,and weight l2. The splints are carried between the surfaces of these two belts from this point until just `before their final discharge from the machine, and hence the two belts will-hereinaf- IIO ter be considered asif constituting-a single element, and referred to by the name of the duplex belt- 7 In order to hold the splints firmly during the sulphuring and heading, I passvthe duplex belt over the pulleys F F,which are provided with flanges just high enough to receive the inner belt, El. These pulleys, which I term holding wheels, are mounted, respectively, upon shafts K J and driven by worm-gearing j" f 2 from the main shaft A.

The first step in the sulphuring process is to properly heat the ends of the splints', in order that they may not chill the melted sulphur, but may readily absorb it. This is effected by means of the steam-heating channels G', arranged on either side of the machine, and curved to conform to the travelof the vbelt in passing from the locating-wheel Gto the holdf ing-wheel F. The cross-section of thesechannels is shown in Fig. 4, where it will be seen that they embrace both ends of the matchsplints c, so as to heat them for a space of ing channels G communicate with the steamheating box G2, below the sulphur-.trough Zi, which in turn is connected by means of the pipe F with a second steam-heating box, F2, below the receptacle H, for containing the heading composition, thus effect-ing the heating of the several apparatus by a continuous system.

The sulphuring devices are shown in Figs. 5 and G. They are arranged on each side ofthe machine, and, being similar to one anotherin construction, a description of one will suflice. Each consists of troughs lz., for containing the melted sulphur, in which there rotates a roll, i,wliose periphery is covered with soft porous material-such as asbestushber which will not be injured by the heat of the melted sulphur. The shaft o of this roll j is arranged in a very loose bearing, it', at one end, 'while the other is supported upon a lever-arm, Yr', provided with a weight, ki, which` tends to raise the roll y'. A. second roll, in', having its surface similarly covered with soft and p orous material, is arranged to rotate above and in Contact with the first roll,j. This second roll, m', supported upon a bearing hung in trunnions Z", so that the roll is free to rise and fall. rlhese rolls are arranged parallel and in such relation to the holding-wheels F as that the projecting ends of the match-splints c shall, in their travel, pass between the adjacent surfaces ofthe rolls, and thus slowly rotatethe latter, whose freelysuspendcd bearings permit them to rise fertile passage ofthe splint and to fall again after it has passed. Upon falling, the upper roll, in', comes in contact with the surface of the lower roll, j, taking up therefrom a portion of the melted sulphur which adheres to the periphery hereof, and thus the surfaces of both rolls are kept coated with the melted sulphur, and their rotation is effected -by the movement of the splints themselves, the heated ends of which, in their passage through the rolls, absorb sufficient sulphur. After emerging from the sulphuring apparatus, the duplex belt E with the splints between its surfaces, travels upward and over tho pulley l, and then comes in contact with the surface ot' the second holding-wheel, F, in the receptacles of which the match-splints are again held. The travel of this wheel il" carries the splints downward to the apparatus for applying the heads, which is constructed as shown in Figs. 7, S, 9, and 1t).

As in the case of the s ulphuring devices, the heading apparatus is placed on each side of the machine, and only one wiilbe described. A hot-water trough, lll?, is placed above the steam-heating box l1, before referred to, and immersed in the trough Mt is the receptacle H, shaped to hold the various working parts, and closed as far as possible to contactwith the air. The heading composition is supplied to the receptacle li by the supply-opening m. 1Vit-hin this receptacle H a spirally-coiled pipe, in, mounted upon the shaft p2, is rotated i by means of the gears p and p,

having bearings in the upright L2, supported upon the end otthe trough M2. The outer end of this spiral pipe m at each revolution dips beneath the surface of the heading eompositioinwhich is in the bottoni of the receptacle H, and takes up a small quantity, which it transfers through the coil to the central discharge-opening, i'. It is there poured out upon the plate s, provided with an overflow-pipe, a, to prevent the accumulation of too much of the composition, and from said plate s passes out through the adjustable gate N onto the curved surface of the dipping-plate M. rlhis dipping-plate M is fixed upon a shaft, P', having bearings 0 outside of the receptacle H, to which is attached a cam-arm, T, and at its other end is in contact with the revolving cam S', actuated by means of a belt, it', and pulley si from the main driving-shaft. The lconfiguration o t' this cam S/ is such that its revolution causes the dipping-plate M to alternately approach and recede from the end of the matchsplint c, and as the fluid headiiig-composition is poured in a continuous even iilm over the curved surface of the dipping-plate M, the movements ot the latter imitate most closely the operation of vertical hand-dipping, and thus tend to produce an equal distribution of the composition upon the end of the matchsplint, instead of crowding it upon one side, as is sometimes the case with mechanical head` ing devices. The surplus composition flows back from the bottom of the dipping-plate M into the receptacle H.

To render the apparatus for applying the heads and the reservoir ot' the composition readily detachable from the remainder of the machine, the shaft of the gear p is provided with a coupling, i', having a square opening, J', in one end, into which the square. projecting end of the shaft .l tits. The hot-water trough hit is arranged to slide in ways B at right anglesto the frame A2, and thus in ease of accidental ignition of the heading composition the whole apparatus can be at once moved away from the machine and extinguished. rihe location of all the journals outside the receptacle H avoids the danger of ignition through the friction ot' the moving parts.

On passing upward from the heading apparatus the splints are taken ofi from the holding-wheel F between the surfaces of the duplex belt, and are then caused to pass around a series of pulleys, c if 'u c, arranged, as shown in Fig. 1, in close proximity to one another, and so disposed as to cause the belts to take a rapidly-reversed serpentine motion. rlhe object of this is to give to the head a symmetrical form, while at the same time permitting it to travel asufficient distance to cool and stiften somewhat, and thus retain its shape. If this travel is effected in a right line, or even in a series of straight lines in alternate directions, the tendency of the still iiuid composition is to accumulate on one side, and thus IOO IIO

destroy the symmetrical shape of the head. After this serpentine movement, the duplex belt passes downward around the pulley V and carries the matches between'the teeth of the discharging-wheels T, whose openings are sufficiently large to permit the splints to fall out readily on arriving at the lowest point of its rotation.` After the separation of the two belts, which talles place by the belt E2 passing around at the pulley XV, while the belt E turns sharply around the cam-shaped slide O, the splints are prevented from leaving the discharging-wheels T until the proper moment by means of the curved shield X.

Immediately below the center ot' the discharging-wheel T is the cutting mechanism, constructed as shown in Fig. ll. It consists of two disk-cutters, q g, arranged to revolve with their edges in contact, and supported, respectively, upon the shafts q q on each side of each cutter, and in close proximity thereto are arranged disks w, of vulcanized rubber, whose faces revolve in close contact and with a considerable degree of pressure against one another. The object of these disks w is to grip and hold the splints securely on each side of the point to be cut during the operation of the cutters, and thus prevent the sliding of the splints either upward or sidewise whilebeing cut. They furthermore serve to rotate the cutter qi by conveying thereto the motion of the shaft q', which is driven by means of the pulley e and belt Q from the pulley l. The bearings of the shaft qi are adjustable by means of the screws Y toward the shaft q. After passing` between the eutters l g, the now severed matches Adrop into trays x, carried upon the endless belt Z, which is caused to travel slowly forward as the matches are fed into the trays by means of a pawl and, ratchet, R U. The throw of said pawl R is made adjustable in the ordinary way by means of an arm, y, attached thereto, and having a slot, a2, in which7 the connecting-rod a is adjustable toward and from the center of motion. As the trays are filled with the matches, they are removed from the belt Z, and laid away for the heads to completely harden and dry.

Having thus described my invention, I claiml. The combination, with the carrying-belt and the pulleys upon which said belt travels, of the steam-channel G, arranged at the side of the belt and curved to conform to the direction of its travel, substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.

to said belt as that the ends of the splints thereon shall pass between and vrotate them, substantially as set forth.

3. In a eontinuously-operating match-machine, the combination of the sulphuring and heading apparatus with a duplexvbelt having its adjacent surfaces smooth, a locating-wheel provided with spaced' receptacles which distribute evenly the splints between the smooth adjacent surfaces of the belt, and holdingwheels around which said belt travels in passing said apparatus, whereby said splints are held firmly between said surfaces during the sulphuring and heading `operations without the use of clamps or other positive holding de vices upon the belts.

4. The combination of a closed receptacle for containing the heading composition, aspiral pipe arranged therein, and having a central dischargeopening, mechanism for rotating said pipe, and an inclined dipping-board adjacent to said opening, the whole operating substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of a carrying-belt, a dipping-board suspended upon hinges parallel to the line of travel thereof, mechanism for moving said board toward and from saidbelt during thepassage of a splint, and apparatus for maintaining a tlow of heading composition upon said board, whereby said splints are headed in a manner similar to the operation of vertical dipping.

G. In a continuously-operaiing match-ma` chine, the combination ,with the carrying-belt, of a heading apparatus mounted removably at the side of said belt, and provided with de- IOC) taehable driving mechanism, whereby the immediate removal of said apparatus is permitted, substantially as set forth.

7. In a continuously-operating match-ma-` chine, the combination, with the heading ap-- paratns and the carrying-belt, of a series of pulleys around which said belt passes immediately after the heading operation, said pulleys being arranged in different planes, and in such close proximity to` one another that said belt is caused to vtake a continually-reversed serpentine course wit-hout traveling in astraight line during the hardening of the heads, substantiallyin the manner and for the purposes specified.

8. The combination of the carrying-belt with the cam-shaped slide O, discharging-wheels T, shield X, and t-he cutting apparatus arranged below said discharging-wheels, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination, with the disk-cutters q q, of the elastic disks w, arranged on each .side thereof, wherebythe splints are held during the cutting operation, substantially as set forth.

J. HENRY MITCHELL. Vitnesses:

Grmnnns F. ZIEGLER, J. XVM/rma Dorien-iss. 

